FORT POLK, La. — Senior leaders from the Installation Management Command and Forces Command met with commanders from Fort Irwin, Calif., and Fort Polk, La., April 12 to discuss the delivery of readiness and family and installation services. The overall concept was to openly discuss current installation funding, delivery of services and a way ahead.

The meeting, held at Fort Polk, was co-hosted by LTG Mike Ferriter (IMCOM commander and assistant chief of staff for Installation Management) and LTG Howard B. Bromberg (FORSCOM deputy commanding general and chief of staff). In-depth review and follow-on discussions — a rehearsal of concept drill — allowed stakeholders to develop a shared understanding of the mission and commandersâ€™ intent, address challenges and collaborate on solutions.

In the first of three planned ROC drills between FORSCOM and IMCOM, senior leaders covered the 2012-2014 budgets and resources of the two representative installations: Fort Polk, the home of the Armyâ€™s Joint Readiness Training Center, and Fort Irwin, the location of the National Training Center. Two follow-on ROC drills will be held at Fort Stewart, Ga., and Fort Hood, Texas.

Combining lessons learned with collaboration between the two Army commands is of paramount importance to successfully support the mission and the Soldiers who carry it out, said Ferriter. â€œWe have learned from our experiences in Afghanistan and Iraq. It is only by working together with our cards facing out, in the spirit of transparency, that we can develop a shared understanding of the impacts of Army resource reductions. Together we can prioritize the most important support services and determine how to support our most pressing needs,â€ he said.

The central question driving the ROC drill: What IMCOM programs and services are absolutely essential to mission readiness and quality of life? Involving senior leaders from every echelon of the participating commands helps outline the complexity of those issues. The bottom line, said Army officials, is that installations will continue to provide the quality infrastructure and healthy environment that Soldiers, Families and civilians need to train, work and live.

Bromberg emphasized the importance of teamwork in facing challenges and finding solutions.

â€œForces Command is committed to this effort and the follow-on sessions at Fort Stewart and Fort Hood. When resources decline, an organization usually does one of two things: Turns in to itself, trying to solve the problem alone, sometimes becoming irrelevant â€“ or faces out, partners with other stakeholders so everybody succeeds,â€ he said.

In closing, Ferriter reminded participants that the Secretary of the Army and Chief of Staff of the Army offer their full support to Family programs, Soldiers and unit readiness. â€œThe Army can change methods and tighten processes while still delivering essential family and Soldier programs. Great work, team!â€

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